Wild Side of the World
by olehoncho
Summary: 8 months after Lost in the Clouds.  Kiba and Karui are off on a vacation as friends to a tropic island. But their vacation does not go as intended.  What dangers threaten the island, what secrets lie hidden in the wild side of the world.  Kiba x Karui.
1. Chapter 1

She let her fingers slide along the covers of the envelopes; her mail had piled up over the last week she had been out on patrols. Something about the feel of smooth, long-dried ink, a sharp contrast to the cough texture of the paper, reminded her she was home. Inside one envelope she felt two separate pieces of paper, of different size and shape, a smile of realization crossed her face and she knew this was the letter she had been waiting for. Wasting no time, she pulled a kunai from her pouch, spun it in her hand, and sliced open the letter in one quick motion.

She did not have to read the name and address on the cover to know who this letter was from. Pulling free the papers, a ticket and a letter, she decided to read the letter first.

_"Karui,_

_I don't have the time to write a long letter, I have a lengthy security detail starting tonight._

_Here are the finished travel plans: Ozeki Port, Pier 9, 10th of Uzuki, 10 a.m._

_The boat, the Soyokaze, will sail out to Shinsei Island over seven days. Once there we have arrangements at linked hotels in the three main cities and four smaller sites all over the island. We'll make plans when we get there, I didn't want to make a fancy schedule."_

"You and your 'follow your nose' attitude." Karui smiled to herself and continued reading.

_"Plan is for two weeks on the island. So we'll be gone for over a month, glad we saved up our vacation time."_

"I had to pull double shifts for a few months to get the time," She said to the letter, "This had better be worth it."

_"We'll meet up at the Port, I might have to cut it a little close, but I'll be there. I have to say that I am really excited for this trip Karui._

_ - Kiba_

_ p.s. Akamaru says hi"_

Turning the page over, Karui saw the paw print inked signature, which had hastily been dried with sand before put in the envelope. The sand had rubbed on the ticket, not doing any real damage.

Finally arriving home, Karui removed her shoes before kneeling in front of her family's butsudan. Lighting incense she removed her sword and laid it to her side as she prayed. When finished she went up to her room and went to her desk. Opening her drawer she pulled out a stack of letters she had received from Kiba over the past months. The way he handled himself during that business with Saito had more than earned him her respect. But even then she had felt her feelings complicated when she thought of him. At first she couldn't help but be flustered when she remembered that he had seen her naked; the knowledge that he had done so to save her from hypothermia did not lessen the shock. Over time she had come to know him more personally. His fierce countenance hid a gentle and loyal soul. Also, perhaps it was merely her musing, but his letters also seemed to hide an unspoken sadness that added an air of mystery to him.

Pinning the ticket to the cork-board on her wall, she paused and looked at the ink drawings of Kiba and Akamaru she had made. Though never fancying herself an artist, it was a hobby she enjoyed. Turning her attention to her luggage and clothing; she lifted the list on her dresser and reviewed the items she had already packed away: travel hygiene kit, a sketch pad and calligraphy set, beach towels, an inflatable ball, sunscreen, 10 of her summer head scarves, and other small necessities.

Packing her second bag was what frightened Karui. Planning what clothes to bring to a tropical island was going to be a daunting task indeed.

* * *

Kiba awoke to the sound of Akamaru grumbling something about breakfast. Sitting up from his bed, he saw that his friend was growling in his sleep. Most inns he stayed at in the Fire Country were kind enough to let Akamaru stay in the rooms with Kiba, but the closer they got to the coast, the more convincing innkeepers needed that Akamaru was more than just a dog (and that he had no fleas).

Pulling a brush from his pack, Kiba gave his friend a morning brush. The activity woke Akamaru, who kicked one of his hind legs repeatedly in approval. Kiba called down to have breakfast delivered because he doubted the other inn's patrons would take kindly to Akamaru's presence at the table. The ninken had long since gotten used to the fact that he was not like other dogs. He rather enjoyed being a breed apart.

After a breakfast of a ham omelet on a bed of rice, Kiba looked in shock at the clock on the wall.

"It's already 9:30!"

Quickly changing into his travel clothes, Kiba got his pack together and laid it on top of a sealing scroll. Making a series of hand seals, the luggage disappeared in a cloud of smoke. With a cough, the innkeeper opened the door and waved the smoke away from his face. Kiba rolled up the scroll and opened the window.

"I understand that you are in an unusual profession master Inuzuka, but could you please not start fires in your room?"

"My apologies master innkeeper. But I assure you there is no fire. Payment for the night's stay is on the dresser, you will forgive me but I will not leave by the front door."

Kiba put the scroll in his pocket and jumped out the window with Akamaru following. The rooftops would be the quickest way to travel to the docks. With his sharp hearing he made out the Innkeeper's voice faintly say "I'm actually rather glad he left that way."

Ozeki was a port town, with hills to the north and a river delta to the south. Kiba had stayed at an inn in the northern hills, and was a good ten minutes away from the docks. Still, he had to get in early for check-in and to see…

Thinking of Karui sent of rush of excitement straight to his stomach, and all at once he felt hungry again. He could not deny his fascination with her; the fierce look she had in her eyes spoke of something primal in her, something wild and untamed.

Nearing the docks, Kiba jumped down to an alley to continue on street level. There was no need to cause any sort of uproar or sensation. Most coastal towns kept their own security detail or hired shinobi from Kirigakure; not that Konoha nin were unwelcome, just that the distance to Konoha led to unfamiliarity. Besides, this was anything but a business trip.

Akamaru perked up when they reached Pier nine and ran off ahead of Kiba. Kiba smelled a faint scent of rose perfume and knew why Akamaru had sprinted off. On the other side of a stack of crates was Akamaru who had knocked Karui to the ground and licking her face. Her laughter was pleasant on the ears. She reached up and scratched behind Akamaru's ears which got the dog off her.

"Kiba." Karui smiled as she put a hand to her cheek. Kiba pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to her.

"Sometimes Akamaru gets a little friendly with people. I've learned to carry a pocket handkerchief to aid in the drying process."

Kneeling down, Karui kissed Akamaru on his head and continued to scratch behind his ear as she wiped the drool from her face. She lightly dabbed around her eyes and let loose a sigh of relief when she saw the handkerchief come away clean.

"Glad I switched to this new waterproof and smudge resistant makeup."

The light purple eye shadow did not look smeared at all, and it accentuated her gold eyes and dark skin. Kiba was about to compliment her as the ships whistle blew and the port master shouted out a boarding call. Reaching down he offered her his hand and helped her to her feet. As they walked to the boat, he felt his heart race as she did not let go of his hand.


	2. Chapter 2

A bark from behind told Kiba that Akamaru had found the cabin. If he had known Karui had brought four bags of luggage he would have gladly accepted the porter's offer of assistance. It was not so much a matter of weight, but it was cumbersome. Karui went ahead and opened the door to the suite and wrestled a bag from Kiba's hand before going in. The shift in balance forced Kiba to concentrate his chakra in his feet to keep from falling over.

'Why couldn't you have just sealed your luggage in a scroll?' Kiba debated with himself whether he should actually ask her, but he decided it was a point he did not care to debate.

The main room looked similar to the brochure, it had different furniture and a summer color scheme but it was nothing to object over. To the left was one of the bedrooms and the bathroom, and to the right was the other bedroom and a small dining room for eating in. Akamaru picked up a cushion from the couch with his mouth and dropped it down in a far corner before lying down while growling something about the movement making him sleepy.

"The ship hasn't even left port and you're complaining about the movement?" Kiba placed the luggage down on the floor and finally closed the door behind him. As he did his foot made contact with Karui's long pack and heard a distinct clinking sound. Knowing it could be nothing else, "You brought your sword along?"

Casually coming out of the room to the left, Karui picked up her bags and slung them across her back. A slight smile curved her lips as she said, "Of course, a girl should always bring along a little… protection." Kiba was not lost on the innuendo, but felt too flustered to respond. "I'm just joking with you Kiba. I had to bring my sword because I'm still working out the balance in the blade and I have a mission scheduled a few days after I get back so I want to make sure I have it right before then."

Leaving their bags in their rooms, and Akamaru on the floor, they decided to go up and be on deck for when the Soyokaze left port. There was no grand send off, but it didn't lessen the excitement as the boat started moving. The ship slowly lurched as it turned around, but once the bow was facing south-east and the engines revved to full power, Kiba felt exhilarated.

"First time on a boat?" Karui asked as she brushed wind-tossed hair away from her ear.

"First time on a motorboat. I've been on several sailboats before, Akamaru didn't like those either."

They conversed for hours like that each day. Voices drown out by the waves and the ocean, lost in the wind for any too far away to hear. As the ship reached the tropical waters it attracted a retinue of a pod of dolphin.

After a few days Kiba began noticing strange markings on the ship in places others would not normally see. There were three symbols he found. An "X" an "O" and a "V". They were just marks made with paint, that were typically gone the next day, but the fact that the symbols reappeared on other parts of the ship meant something he could not quite put his finger on.

While exploring the ship they discovered that it was not strictly a passenger cruise, but that it also had a large cargo area to help supplement the costs of the voyage. Curiosity, and a streak of mischievousness, compelled them to sneak into the lower decks one night to find out the contents of the cargo, but they were let down upon finding nothing more than medium quality lumber and construction-grade steel.

On their way back to their room Kiba detected a scent in the air. Whispering to Karui, "There are four people sneaking around tonight. They are doing their best to not be seen."

"I heard them. I can barely make out one of them, but the other three have clumsy footing."

There was no incident on the way back to their cabin, but that didn't stop Kiba from telling Akamaru to keep watch that night. When morning came, Akamaru woke Kiba by jumping on his bed and exclaiming that he was no longer seasick. But staying up all night had tuckered him out, so he went back to his mattress and fell asleep.

"Silly dog." Kiba chided as he scratched his friend's ears as he went to sleep.

Karui exited the bathroom wrapped in her towel and her eyes met with Kiba's. She clutched the towel around herself tighter and went into her room to change. Kiba did not often think of his past experience with Karui, it was not proper. He could not help but feel a rising heat when he thought of her flawless skin…

"No," Kiba regained control of his thoughts, "it's not right to think about that."

* * *

In her room Karui was struggling to slow her breath. Shaking her head she began drying her hair with a second towel and tried not to think about how frustrated she felt. It was the day before they were to land on the island, but it had felt like months instead of just a week.

"Why did I agree to come on this trip alone?"

The fact that she was an adult did little to ease her. Something about the newness of this experience made her feel like a child again. A part of her wished for the company of Samui. Too often had she received reprimands from the older girl, no woman; but she felt like she would accept council from anyone at the moment.

She finished drying and changing to the sound of Kiba in the shower. Putting on a light purple sundress, she grabbed her key and left by herself to the dining hall. Meals were becoming rather odd as they approached the tropics, probably to get them ready for the native food on the island. Often it was just an introduction with a single local ingredient. This morning it was a bagel with a slice of tomato and another slice of an odd fruit called avocado. It was more colorful than she liked, but the flavor and texture were heavenly.

As she sat down she could not help but recognize the sounds of four people entering the room. An adult was with three young teenagers. He had the dress of an official on the ship-line, but the three kids with their junior sized uniforms were just too out of place.

Picking up her knife she threw it towards the back of one of the teen's heads. The man caught it without even turning in Karui's direction or raising a fuss. When they collected their breakfasts he led them over to sit by Karui. Casually he set the knife back on Karui's napkin and began eating.

"I believe you dropped your knife miss."

"Why thank you…" Karui politely answered, not even looking at the knife.

"Ah yes, my name is Moji."

"Sensei, I thought we weren't supposed to use our real names." One of the teens spoke up, a young girl.

"I won't say our cover is blown, but we have been found out by this kunoichi from, let me guess… Kumo?"

"And you four… from Kiri?"

"Ha ha, what rotten luck we have. Still, it's better than our first attempt to travel under cover." Moji playfully sighed.

"Yeah, we were found out by a janitor who found one of Ori's kunai lying on a table." One of the two boys spoke flatly.

"I told you that wasn't my fault Itamu!" Ori angrily glared at the other boy.

"Taking your genin out on a mission? This seems pretty far out of the way for Kiri."

"Not really." The girl enthusiastically answered. "Kiri get a lot of jobs from all sorts of islands out in the ocean. Our place on the islands lets us answer most jobs rather quickly. I'm Sasa by the way."

Karui took a moment to memorize their features, more of a habit than anything else. Moji was a thin man, not yet in his prime, shaved bald except for a topknot. She vaguely recalled seeing him after the war; he was in the medium-range group so they had never really met.

Ori was an odd boy. He wore earrings (he probably kept special seal earrings as were popular in Kiri with his equipment). Something about the way he maintained an indignant silence betrayed him as a loudmouth. His jet black hair was combed neatly, but it was obvious the one thing he really wanted to do was muss it up.

The girl was an odd one. She seemed overly content to just sit there and breathe, as though it was the most interesting thing in the world. Her rich brown eyes matched her hair that she had styled in a neat braid that came over her left shoulder.

Lastly Itamu was the strangest boy she had ever seen. He looked uncomfortable in his own skin. Pale skin, freckled, with reddish hair. Karui felt sorry for him, between his complexion and the destination he had "sunburn" written all over him.

"You won't mind me asking why you are out here. You owe me that much of an answer for the knife." A serious tone from Moji indicated that the formalities were over, a silent threat.

"I am on vacation."

"With a Konoha nin?"

"What is more likely? That I'm on vacation with a friend from another village, or that our two villages sent us on a mission to keep our eyes on you and your mission?"

Finishing their breakfasts Moji nodded his head and signaled his team to leave. "We'll be arriving at Shinsei Island before long. I hope you enjoy your vacation miss?"

"Karui."

Nodding to his team, Moji led them out of the dining hall and down to the lower decks. Letting out a deep breath, Karui finally finished her breakfast and went out on the sea deck. A slight chill in the air sent a shiver down her spine, but she knew it was not the temperature she was reacting to. A jacket rested across her shoulders and Kiba took a place beside her. His presence felt so natural, so comforting. They sat down on a bench and Karui rested her head on his shoulder and he places his arm around her. It wasn't until the Soyokaze's steam whistle blew that she realized it was late afternoon and that the island was already in sight.


	3. Chapter 3

Karui shared her conversation with the Kiri in and it finally made sense to Kiba. The painted symbols over the boat were an exercise he had done with Kurenai sensei; only the version he was familiar with was searching for symbols scratched into trees, not painted on a boat. It was a good training exercise, meant to train search skills and chakra control as the training did not allow you to use your hands.

"I doubt you got any information about their mission?" Kiba asked, wanting to get all the details. Karui shook her head. Professional as she was, the encounter had shaken her up, Kiba felt her muscles tremble ever so slightly to his touch.

"Well, I doubt they have time to worry about us. They might not even stay on the island. Plenty of boats pull into Rakuen harbor. They might be getting a transfer to another boat…" Karui stood up looking confused.

"Is there anything wrong?" Kiba saw Karui roll her shoulders and put her hands together in a seal. She steadied her breathing and silently said "Kai."

"I'm fine, but when I get my hands on that Jounin Moji I swear he's going to wish he hadn't tried using a genjutsu on me. I should have suspected from the beginning why he made me nervous for no reason. A clever genjutsu to be certain, it's actually one of Omoi's favorites. It ties your target's memory of you to one of their subconscious fears. Makes them wary of you for reasons they can't explain."

"We're about to enter port. I can understand if you want to sock him one, but not on the ship." Kiba waited for her to nod her agreement. "Good. Then let's get our stuff packed and get off this ship."

Akamaru was in the kitchen helping himself to the last of the steaks that were in the fridge. He growled a comment about his displeasure in adjusting to the change in time zones, that the five hour change was a little too much.

"Okay, I recognized a few words there. He said 'five hours'." Karui came out from her room and dropped her luggage on the floor. Kiba's mouth near enough joined it. "What, I forgot to tell you? Kumo has our own clan of Ninken specialists," Kneeling down, she scratched Akamaru's head and ears, "Though the dogs in Kumo aren't as handsome as Akamaru. But I've been learning how to understand their growls and barks."

'That is so hot.' Kiba thought to himself. "I'd like to growl a few things to you."

"What was that?" Karui suddenly looked up; she was distracted from her playing with Akamaru. And Kiba realized he had spoken that last part aloud.

"Ahh, nothing. Just I have to finish packing." Walking to his room Kiba unrolled his storage scroll and placed his luggage on top. It took him a moment to calm his heartbeat from pounding in his ears before he could focus on the technique. Exiting his room, Kiba found Karui holding her sword in a thoughtful manner. After a couple of hand seals the sword transformed into a very convincing parasol.

"Carrying a sword draws too much attention, but I refuse to be taken by surprise." Propping the parasol over her shoulder Karui led Akamaru from the room, once again leaving Kiba to carry the bags.

The boat finally docked in port and the passengers were allowed to disembark. Kiba let out a sigh of relief that their hotel was right on the beach. For all Karui's talk of wanting to go shopping was dropped when they passed the local open market restaurants. Checking into the hotel Kiba was relieved to pass on the burden of Karui's luggage to the bellhops. One of whom exclaimed that he didn't think he could carry one; let alone all four of the bags.

Kiba made sure to double check the reservation details, room and key were given. He felt nervous at the thought of sharing a room with Karui, but at least there were two beds. As they passed people on the street Kiba made note of how many people commented on the size of Akamaru. It was odd that the tone of their voices was not so much of surprise, but concern.

Not being able to decide on which restaurant she wanted, Kiba chose for her by using his nose. The seafood restaurants had incredibly fresh ingredients, which appealed to him, but something about the spices of one particular local cuisine appealed to him. The counter seats open to the public reminded him of a festival stall, but in a sense a holiday is much like an extended festival, and a tourist town like this must be like that year-round.

Kiba made sure to order a plate of the spiced pork and placed it on the ground behind him. As Akamaru tore into his meal Kiba saw that Karui had ordered a plate of what looked like meat wrapped in flatbread. Obviously hungry, she ate quickly but neatly; for all the toppings on her food Kiba was surprised that none of them fell off as she ate as she would adjust the angle she held the food to keep it all on top.

Smelling the other patron's food, Kiba finally found the certain spice that had attracted him and he ordered a large wrap packed full of spiced beef and a red sauce.

"Careful Kiba," Karui said as she finished a bite, "Those are pretty spicy."

"Who do you think I am, Sakura? I don't mind spicy food." Kiba took a bite and was surprised at the level of spice, but it wasn't overwhelming.

"Sakura… oh the pink-haired girl. I meant to apologize to her after the war. Last time I was in Konoha Omoi and I were a little rough in the way we gathered Intel from her and Naruto."

"Ah forget it. Sakura is stronger than she looks and more forgiving than she seems." Before Kiba realized it he had eaten his entire order, what other customers called "buritosu" or something like that.

"There are actually a few girls I got to know during the war that I'd like to get in touch with again. We kind of bonded in Division 2."

"We only just started one vacation and you're already thinking of another?"

"Well, going to Konoha would also let me see you again."

"That is if you don't get tired of me over the next three weeks."

"Then I guess you're going to have to do your best to keep me… entertained."

Paying the bill, Kiba escorted Karui back to the hotel. Karui seemed tired, he saw her eyes light up as they passed the various shops in town, marking which ones she wanted to shop at, and which ones she would go to just to browse.

Finally arriving at the hotel, Kiba noted that some guests were only just now checking in from the ship, having spent their afternoon wandering town with their luggage. Kiba laughed to himself and began to walk upstairs with Karui when he heard the receptionist call his name.

"Miss Karui," the man waited for them to walk to the desk before continuing, "this message was left for you at the front desk. A serious looking young man with red hair."

From the description Kiba though that might be one of the Kiri Nin Karui had mentioned. Opening the message Kiba hoped it might give some explanation.

_I pray you forgive my master for the genjutsu he put on you, he is not usually so suspicious or impulsive. Our mission has him on edge and he is more nervous than usual. A true apology would go into greater detail, but you will appreciate that I must be silent on certain matters. Suffice it to say that I have convinced my sensei that you are no danger to our mission, and that we are leaving for Atui City in the north._

_I hope you enjoy your vacation._

_- Itamu_

_p.s. Sasa wanted me to tell you that she loves your hair._

"Cute kids." Karui sighed and stretched, blinking tiredness from her eyes. Kiba offered her his arm, which she took, and they retired to their room for the night.


	4. Chapter 4

There was an excitement in the air; it was so tangible Kiba felt like he could touch it. Waking an hour before sunset was always a habit of his, and his body seemed to automatically adjust to the change in time zones. Wanting a moment to himself, he sought the morning air on the roof of the hotel. A few doors were supposed to be locked and accessible to employees only, but a simple lock pick proved to be a good substitute to a key.

The view was incredible; a southerly wind brought the salty sea air to the island. Dark waters softly blew onto the white sand beach below. Sensing the weather was easy for Inuzuka, a keen sense of smell could pick up air moisture and enhanced hearing acted much like a barometer. Today was going to be clear skies, warm air, and fresh fish. A din from the docks showed boats of fishermen docking after a night of work. They were likely returning to their shops to put out their fresh catches.

Turning around Kiba looked out onto the town and island. Still cloaked in night, the silhouette of the great mountain was strangely visible despite the haze of distance.

"I'll have to look into that later." Kiba made the mental note before continuing to overlook the town. In a small farm outside of the city a rooster was crowing, and light began to emerge on the horizon. Rays of the sun began to peek over the eastern hills, but that was not the sight that drew Kiba's eyes. The ocean was transformed before his eyes. As though the inky darkness of night were a residue being burnt up by the coming dawn. For a few short instants the water looked on fire as the sunlight reflected in just the right way.

Barely able to find his breath, Kiba whispered, "I am so waking Karui up to see this tomorrow." Dawn's embrace took the town and Kiba made his way back to his bedroom and got ready for the new day. If that experience was any indication of what the day were like, today was going to be one to remember.

Just as Kiba walked in the apartment he was startled by shouting coming from the bedroom. "Ah, get off me you silly pooch!" Karui was yelling at Akamaru, but sounded more surprised than angry. Akamaru barked his morning greetings to her; he seemed much chattier since learning Karui had been learning how to understand ninken, even if the dogs from Kumogakure have strange accents.

Finally ready to go out, Kauri led them downstairs to the dining room. A sweet and somehow spicy aroma had filled Kiba's nostrils for the past ten minutes and Kiba finally placed it. Each table had an open grill, but grilled fish was not the only thing on the menu. Trays of sliced fruit were lined in a buffet fashion; most of them exotic fruits from the tropic islands further south. The scents in this room were almost too much for his sense of smell, but for some reason he felt like he was breathing deeper than he had on the roof that morning.

"I've always wanted to try the grilled fruit here." Karui was loading up a plate of the fruits, and spearing them with the wooden skewers. "My sensei may have been a singing goofball, but he can cook like nobody's business. He used to always buy these food journals, but none of the fruit native to Kumo are good for grilling so we never tried it."

Kiba tried as many as his plate could hold, but that wasn't even one fifth of the varieties that were available. The fish selection was weaker, only a choice of a dozen different kinds of fish. Smiling, Kiba remembered planning how much this vacation would cost, but seeing Karui beaming as she got up to get another plateful he knew it was well worth it.

When they were all three full Karui pulled out a travel pamphlet and led the way as though she were a local. Their first stop was an old coastal fort that hadn't been used for hundreds of years. The ruined light tower was as tall as the one currently in use, but it stood a ruin of its former self.

"This says the light tower was two hundred meters tall in its prime." Karui said, trying to appraise the rock and mortar structure.

"It must have helped in the days of sea raiders to know when an attack was coming."

Oddly enough they found themselves wandering through the old sections of town. The places not specifically tailored to tourists. An old sweet shop sold traditional seaweed flavored hard candy; Karui tried one and wound up buying three bags. The blacksmith made blades, claiming that his grandfather had come out to sea from Kirigakure after making one of the Seven Swords of the Mist. A wild claim, but despite the condition of his shop and the holes in his story, the daggers he made were beyond artisan quality. The dagger the blacksmith was finishing was around twenty centimeters in length, though slightly curved it was sharp on both edges. The dark silver metal seemed to also have a faint red shine to it.

Looking over his shoulder, Kiba found that Karui had disappeared into the tailors across the street. An incomplete dagger caught Kiba's eye, but more than that a large white hilt piece that the blacksmith's assistant was busy carving.

"What material is that?" Kiba asked.

"Dire-lion's tooth." The assistant answered. "We can carve three handles from a good sized tooth."

An uncut tooth lay on the piece of cloth on the floor. Nearly the size of Kiba's forearm, he was inclined to believe that it did come from a dire-lion. Taking his leave from the shop, Kiba found Karui having her measurements taken.

"I'm having a dress altered. Mind if we come back here after lunch?" Karui turned her head towards Kiba, only to have the shopkeeper move it back into place for her convenience.

"Of course." Kiba picked up the travel pamphlet where Karui had set it down. Looking at the map of the island Kiba remembered his vision that morning. The map showed that the mountain was nearly sixty kilometers from the city. 'It should not have been that visible. It's too far away to be that clear.' Stepping outside Kiba jumped up to the roof and found that the mountain was lost in the haze of the day. 'Must have been a trick of the eye.' He concluded.

Waiting for the dress to be finished, they made a trek up a small hill to the town's old shrine. A small staff of monks kept the buildings in good shape, but one stood out among the others. A two story hexagonal pagoda with bronze dragon roof tiles. The first floor was open; the second story was closed to the public. A mural of men standing in three concentric circles of six each was prominent on the northern wall.

They got lunch in a small workers house. The workers would go back out to the fields after eating and resting through the heat of the day. The fried fish and mashed fruit the waitress called plantains made for a filling meal. After one drink too many, one of the workers came up and stared at Akamaru, laughing softly to himself.

"I wonder if you're scared of cats. Ha ha…" He walked away, not wanting an answer. Akamaru rolled his eyes and finished his lunch.

Returning to the tailor's shop to get Karui's dress, the blacksmith's assistant came from across the street. Holding the dagger he was working on that morning, he held it out to Kiba. "Compliments of my master. No charge. He says it will protect you."

Kiba began to object when the blacksmith emerged from his shop. "I can't accept this as a gift. I didn't even ask for a dagger."

"And yet it is yours. Look at the hilt." The blacksmith lowered his eyes to the knife.

The hilt was carved with designs that felt like hair and fangs. The carving was as masterful as the making of the blade. Implied shadows gave the impression of dogs running through tall grass. Feeling the other side, Kiba found the kanji of his last name featured prominently.

"What is this?"

"No weapon leaves this shop without a name. The dagger is named Inuzuka. Take it with my blessing." A matching bone sheath was given to Kiba, as ornate as the hilt. On one side the heads of dogs much like Akamaru were carved, and on the other side the same dogs were baring their fangs.

Bowing lightly to the master craftsman, Kiba crossed the street to the tailor's shop. He had questioned the gift, but it was not Inuzuka tradition to reject a gift. Concern was swept away as Karui came out of the dressing room in her new dress. The deep purple halter was fitted perfectly across her waist. The pleated design of the straps that crossed her chest and tied around her neck were layered with a lighter color of purple and made for a dazzling effect. The dress ended just below her knees and looked to be loose and comfortable.

"From your open mouth I take it you approve of my evening wear."

Akamaru laughed when Kiba finally realized that his mouth was indeed open. Before he could close it, Karui threw one of the seaweed candies onto his tongue. Akamaru stood up and she and the dog shared a high-paw at Kiba's expense.

Finishing shopping, they returned to the hotel and changed. It was late in the afternoon but still too early for dinner. While Karui changed for the beach Kiba requested a basket of food they could take to the beach with them. Changing into his shorts, Kiba was pleased to hear a change in Karui's breathing when he came out of the bathroom. Catching her reaction, she popped a candy in her mouth and tried to play it off.

The beach was starting to empty, and this was the time they chose to go down to the waters. Now a warm northerly wind swept out to sea from the island, but not strong enough to blow away their dinner or the beach ball they had brought. They arranged themselves into a triangle with Akamaru and tossed it back and forth to each other.

Sitting down to enjoy their dinner, a light meal of spiced rice with vegetables, they sat and enjoyed the beginnings of the sunset. Putting away the plates and sitting back, Kiba felt Karui's hand rest on his own. Slightly shocked, Kiba reacted by tightening his hand around hers. She squeezed back but did not stop looking outward to the sea. The sun was setting to their right, its rays catching the high altitude clouds white made streaks of bright color in the slowly darkening sky.

Akamaru's ears perked up at a sudden change in air pressure. A quiet whistle grew increasingly louder, and the concussive blast of an explosion shook the air. Several more blasts followed, shredding the docks and the cruise ship. Focusing his eyes, Kiba scanned the sea horizon; the light of the setting sun made them hard to make out but he could clearly see a fleet of battleships firing another volley on the town.


	5. Chapter 5

Reaching his hand into the picnic basket, Kiba pulled a small scroll from beneath the empty containers. As he opened the seal he spoke without turning his head. "Karui, go back to the hotel and grab our luggage. Whatever you think we'll need. Akamaru, start with the buildings on fire, get people out of there and get them up on the hill south of town."

"When I drop off the luggage I'll help by getting the crew off the cruise ship." Karui stepped into a pair of sandals before running off towards the hotel. Akamaru ran off the beach and into the line of fire.

Finally opening the scroll Kiba focused his chakra into his eyes and ears. Running off towards the light tower on the docks he hoped his timing and senses would not fail him this day. Wrapping the thin scroll around his wrist he waited for the next volley from the ships to come. His eyes picked up the smoke as his ears confirmed the shots.

"So much for a quiet vacation." Explosive tag kunai appeared in his hands which he hurled at the incoming projectiles. It was a matter of precise aim and timing, but he had been practicing. Six shots came soaring over the water in a close pattern. Judging their trajectory with his hearing was difficult with how fast they were flying, but with a little luck the four kunai he threw managed to force them down early into the beach and waves.

'I'll have to thank Gai sensei for those joint training exercises. My kunai skills sucked before I started learning from Tenten.' Another round of cannon fire came from the boats, and the eight shots required six kunai to throw them off course. 'With any luck they'll blame their gunners and not suspect any outside hand.' Kiba took a moment to double check his hiding place and was assurred he was out of sight.

Between shots, Kiba glanced over his shoulder and looked back at the town. Teams of firefighters were busy putting out the blazes on the wood buildings. The majority of people were evacuating north, towards the open plains. His ears sensed the next salvo before the sound reached the shores. These he allowed to hit closer to the town than the others. Giving the gunners the thought that their aim was improving would allay their suspicions for at least another volley or two, long enough for Akamaru to evacuate anyone in those buildings.

Karui arrived next to Kiba and set down their bags. "Left side pocket you'll find two scrolls. Take the bags down to the bottom of the light tower and seal our luggage in the scrolls." With a tap on his shoulder, Karui hefted the bags and jumped down. Kiba knew that their most valuable resource at this time was their anonymity. For some reason the Land of Water's navy was attacking one of its own towns, and it would be harder to find out why if their presence was known.

The four ships finally began turning towards the city and came in under their own power. Taking another careful moment, Kiba jumped down and took the scroll containing his luggage from Karui. Jumping down into the water, Kiba was grateful that they were still wearing their swimsuits as going by water made it easier to stay out of sight.

Making their way to the undamaged sections of old town, Kiba led them towards the blacksmith's shop they had stopped by earlier that day. Strangely, the shop was completely empty. Only carbon scoring on the ceiling gave the sign that this place was ever the residence of a sword maker.

"I assume Akamaru will find us by smell." Karui spoke quietly, as she checked the stairway leading down to the basement.

"Yeah. He knows better how to stay out of sight than I do. A quick henge into a smaller type of dog and he can blend into any city in moments."

"I thought ninken required a shinobi to perform seals for henge."

"Early on they do. But after a few years of practice they can activate their own chakra channels for simple jutsu like henge." As if on cue, the sound of scratching came from the door. Opening it slightly gave Akamaru enough room to come inside. His henge of a small, brown, shaggy dog vanished as he returned to his proper form.

"How did the evacuation go?" Kiba asked Akamaru. Akamaru was still a few years away from developing his vocal chords enough to speak like humans, a fact which still bugged him. With a bark and a whine the Ninken told that most villagers were going inland to a farming community. Most of the evacuees expressed worry that after that village there are no good places to go after that.

After a moment of silent deliberation, Karui spoke. "We lay low until midnight. Then we'll sneak aboard the ships and find what information we can. It won't help us or the villagers to act without knowing what's going on."

"I knew there was something about that team from Kirigakure."

"They may very well be involved in this, but don't jump to any conclusions Kiba. If our time together has taught us anything it is that we shouldn't be too impulsive."

"Okay. What about the damage in town?" Akamaru answered that the damage was nothing too extensive because of the time of day. Starting an attack at sundown was a poor choice.

Karui went to the upper room to change into her gear while Kiba stayed downstairs. The upper room only took up half of the top story, the other part of the ceiling was open which meant one could look up and see into the room. Putting on his emergency Anbu uniform Kiba stole a glance to the upstairs bedroom at Karui and found that she was looking down at him while changing as well. Forcing himself to finish changing, Kiba waited for her to come downstairs. Her outfit was similar to what she had worn in the war. The sleeveless top and simple parted skirt was practical, and despite how it moved with her it made no sound.

She must have noticed what kiba was doing from his confused look and the turn of his ears. "Kumo came up with this fabric years ago. It's light, durable, and makes no sound when it flutters in the wind or when it brushes against anything. I realize it must seem odd, but we are proud of our tailors."

"That would explain why you had such a good time at the shop across the street..." Kiba trailed off, realizing that because of what had happened that their vacation was indefinitely postponed.

"I am looking forward to wearing that dress Kiba, but first I'm planning on getting a little bit of payback." Peeking out at the night sky, she nodded and they went out into the darkness.


	6. Chapter 6

'A full moon is the perfect night for stealth,' the old teacher from the Kumo academy always seemed to surface in her memory even long after she had already learned his lessons, 'because your enemies will think their vision better, but they only see what the moonlight illuminates. The shadows, in fact, become easier to hide in because of the contrast of light.' On this night, conditions were ideal for more than simple sneaking.

Hiding in an alley near the docks, they silently assessed the situation. The villagers had been cleverer than she had originally given them credit. They strategically spread the fire to non-important buildings in order to create a smoke screen to hide their evacuation into the countryside. Moreover the attack's early strike against the town's power generator had cost them the city's power grid and street lights. Still, the situation was complicated by the four ships unloading a great amount of soldiers.

"Those three boats are interceptors, built for speed and only carry around twenty soldiers each in addition to another thirty crewmen. But that fourth boat is a transport and easily brought three hundred soldiers." Kiba ran his hand down the side of his face while focusing his vision in the darkness. "What I wouldn't give to have Hinata's eyesight." He grumbled half angrily.

"Save it Kiba." In nervous habit, she checked the sword in the scabbard on her back. "We can get closer to find out which is the commander's boat. I imagine he's still busy with organizing the unloading of all those troops."

"Akamaru, I want you to scout the transport on the end of the docks." With a pat on the back of the dog's head, Kiba sent the ninken off first. "Karui, you take the two interceptors on the far side of the docks. I'll take the closet interceptor and help Akamaru scout the Transport when finished. Meet back here in twenty minutes."

Ducking past cargo crates, and moving with the shadows of night was natural. In her youth she always found it odd when other children mentioned they were afraid of the dark. Night and shadows are not dangerous in themselves, but what moves in the night is another matter; and none own the dark like a shinobi at work.

The majority of the soldiers had already gone into town to secure it, leaving a skeleton detail of sailors and marine guards to keep watch. Avoiding their gaze and boarding the first ship was simple. Quiet hands and soft sandals made for a fast and silent climb up the wooden hull. Now on deck the new problem surfaced - how to breach the Captain's quarters?

The room was easy enough to locate, as it was built on the same level as the main deck of the ship. Peeking inside a window she saw a well-groomed and aged captain sitting at the desk, rubbing his eyes and reading by the light of two matching candles. His rank was obvious from the insignia on his uniform, but his quiet demeanor spoke more of his professionalism and discipline. Keeping far enough back from the glass window to stay out of sight, a plan came to mind.

'He's obviously tired; I can use that to my advantage.' With a small piece of wire in her kit she picked the internal lock on the window and opened it a hair crack. Targeting one of the candles, she used a minor wind jutsu and snuffed out the light in his cabin. As he stumbled around in the dark, attempting to relight one of the candles and then close the window, it was easy enough to sneak in through the door and hide in the shadowed corner of the room.

Fighting off sleep, The Captain set the candle down on his desk before lying down on his bed and closing his eyes. Making her move, she made the most of what little time she might have. Navigation charts, supplies, rations, morale reports of the marines, a disciplinary issue regarding fights between the sailors and the soldiers, nothing too exciting. And then a letter from 'General Tsudo' caught her eye. Opening the official envelope, being quiet while rustling the pages she read

_To all Captains of the Eastern "Crow" Fleet.  
Be it known that our mission is to sail for Rakuen Port at Shinsei Island. Once there we will shell the western districts of the city before landing soldiers to secure the town. The Port has been declared rebellious by the Water Daimyo for failure to comply with the Historical Artifacts and Hazardous Relics Bureau's ruling and its refusal to pay taxes. We intend to arrive no later than the evening of the 18th of Uzuki._

'So you attacked the town for failure to pay taxes and register with a random government bureau? That hardly seems to be the right response.' What bugged her more was that the west side of town was the tourist district; the attacks had not focused on the older parts of town at all.

Outside the nights watch circled the deck with a lantern on a pole. Waiting for him to pass, she slipped out of the ship and made her way to the second ship. The captain's quarters were empty, but the paperwork looked to be locked away in a roll top writing desk, which was quite agreeable to her lock picks. This captain was obviously far more organized, as each drawer in the desk had specific types of paperwork as well as personal copies of each letter that had been sent.

The recent letters were messages between ship captains. Apparently this Captain was named Basho and he was against the expedition and while he would transport the marines, he would not order his gunners to fire on the town. But the letter was dated five days ago. Rubbing a layer of accumulated dust from an unseen area, Karui estimated that around five days worth of dust had built up. 'I wonder if he was executed.' She thought sadly.

A letter from eight days ago explained his concern in greater detail. Apparently General Tsudo was working with a rather mysterious person who was on board the troop transport. No details were given about this person, or the strange company he kept. All that was explained is that they represented the Daimyo's interests in the operation. 'If the Water Daimyo really is behind this, then we could be in big trouble.' Her thoughts turned to the team of Kiri Nin and could not help but speculate what their presence meant.

Finishing her investigation, she went to the rendezvous point before Kiba and Akamaru got there. It was not long before the sound and smell of wet dog filled her nostrils. Kiba motioned for them to take cover in an unwatched warehouse nearby where they could speak more freely.

"What did you find?" Kiba asked.

"Not much. A few letters between the ships captains, a lot of concern about the real nature of their mission is. I also suspect that one of the captains is either dead or locked in a brig for questioning orders."

"He's held captive on the transport. I didn't want to fight the guard, but I was able to find out he was the captain of one of the other ships."

"How involved do you think the Water Daimyo is?"

"I'm unsure in all honesty." As Kiba finished the ground seemed to lurch. An inhuman sound filled the air of terrifying frequency and Kiba raised his hands to his ears in pain as Akamaru passed out from it.

"Kiba, what's wrong?" Another incredible quake shook the ground accompanied with a tremendous crack. More noise joined the din as a bright flash caught the corner of Karui's eye from the south. Two of the interceptor ships exploded in flames and sank almost immediately. The last ship rocked as though hit by something and rolled onto its side, smashing the dock. The final ship, the transport was also caught fire, but as quickly as the flames spread they dissipated.

Behind her Kiba fell to the ground and joined Akamaru in unconsciousness. "Kiba, wake up! Are you alright?"

"Now what have we here?" A hit to the back of her head sent her falling causing her head to hit a crate on its way down.

Before unconsciousness took her she thought, 'Too fast, didn't… even have time to… draw my sword.'


	7. Chapter 7

Knowing she was waking up in chains did little to improve her mood. Learning to not stir from her sleeping position had been one of the hardest lessons to master in the academy. Funny that so many other skills had come easier, it staying still was what was difficult. Keeping calm she took in her surroundings through her senses that would not give away her consciousness. She felt the wooden floor move underneath; shifting ever so slightly. Coupled with her shackles she knew it to be a ship's brig. Air brushing against her smell receptors smelled of gunpowder and salt water. Hearing her surroundings told the most of all; the shuffling feet of the guards; the breathing of fellow prisoners, one obviously Akamaru.

The problem was the chains. Without opening her eyes she could not tell how well tied up she was, but she didn't know how closely she was being watched either. 'No, the chains are not the problem. The one who snuck up from behind and knocked me out is what is worrisome. Was it one of those Kiri Nin?'

Almost too caught up in her own thoughts, she barely heard the tail end of a low growl from Akamaru. It was subtle and she still had trouble with Akamaru's accent, but she made out "I can hear the light in your breath Karui, stay down now. Men took Kiba. They are trying to learn from his tongue, but he will not speak. A pack of five sea-men guard our cages, I want to run over our path to freedom by then."

* * *

Torture was nothing new to Kiba. Team 8 had been assigned to assist Ibiki Morino on a few occasions. Sure he was a tough man he was fair and freely taught what he knew to others, even when nobody had asked to learn. Kiba had gotten closer to the man when he took his ANBU training, Kiba did not find the pair surprising. He and Akamaru were ideal scouts, and scouts have to deal with the possibility of capture and interrogation.

The large man working on him knew how to throw a punch, and where to hit. He targeted specific muscle groups and joints, the hits were not meant to hurt but hinder. Too much more of the treatment and Kiba figured he'd be at the same level as an average person.

"That will do for now Akuji." A man smoking a pipe that smelled part tobacco part opium sat up straight in his seat behind Kiba. The man with fists like bricks stood to attention and walked over to the wall.

If the first man was like a brick, the man who came from behind was a wall. Standing well over two meters tall he wore the uniform of a general from the Land of Water's military. Kiba remembered that owing to the large territory of ocean claimed by the Land of Water all branches of their military could command ships and fleets with equal authority.

Dragging his chair behind him, the man sat down in front of Kiba and relit his long brass pipe. "I don't like long, drawn out interrogations. Having you beaten and thrown into a cell to languish and slowly fade I'm fine with but interrogations should be done in a timely manner. We've found and gone through your things, so we know who you are. Now if I were an idiot I would ask what you are and the girl from Kumogakure doing here; to which you would answer…"

"We're on vacation."

"That is one conclusion which can be drawn yes." Leaning back, he brought up his left leg and set his foot on his right knee. "But that doesn't give me the answer I really want, now does it?"

"You'll forgive me for not sympathizing with your position. You fired on a peaceful town for a trumped up reason."

"Yes, we did find evidence that you went through some of our documents. So that puts us in the same position. We like to think we know where the other is coming from, but we don't have all the details. It's this lack of understanding that makes interrogations so difficult." Finishing his pipe, he tapped the remaining embers out on the bottom of his boot before placing it in his pocket.

"No, I see your problem rather clearly." Kiba's memory of the previous night came back to him like a focused vision. "You suspect us of stopping your bombardment, so you doubt the story of our being tourists. And while you know we snuck aboard the ships, you don't make us as the ones who attacked and burned them."

"That's the long and the short of it." Standing up the General nodded to his subordinate in the corner before walking out to the hallway where two young women stood waiting to follow.

The big fellow resumed his work of punching Kiba's muscles, his technique was not accurate like a Hyuuga's juuken or precise like a trained medic, but it was no less effective. Tied arms and legs to the chair, all Kiba could to was sit there and take the beating. His one consolation was that this treatment did nothing to dull his senses, both hearing and scent were alive and he would use what weapons he was left with.

* * *

Unlocking her chains had proved to be easier than expected, thanks to a lock pick hidden in a seam of her dress. Timing her actions to Akamaru's low growls of warning she freed her hands and feet, but kept up the appearance of being chained. The chains themselves were each secured to one of the corners of her cell, an odd arrangement meant to keep a prisoner in the center of the cell. Still, that fact could prove useful.

"Kiba returns with others. Let us go."

With the sound of Kiba being chained down in the cell next to her, Karui waited for the guards to open her cell door. The smell of a slow fuse told her that at least one of the guards had a firearm. As a knife pressed against her throat and a hand on her shoulder, the guard standing over her started to say, "No funny business now, time to get u-"

Chopping at his wrist, Karui cleared the knife from her throat. Removing one of her manacles she clasped it to the man's arm and wrapped the excess around his throat, choking him. As the guard with the firearm lowered his weapon to fire, Karui threw a second chain at him, knocking the weapon from his hands. Vaulting over the first guard, Karui kicked the rifleman in his chest, dropping him. Of the remaining three guards, two ran towards her while a third made a run to the door to shout warning.

Grabbing a wooden bucket, she hurled it as hard as she could at the third guard's head. The man collapsed before he could open the door or say a word. One of the remaining guards charged with his pike, while the rifleman still in the cell scrambled for his fallen weapon.

Deciding to use the nature of the area to her advantage, Karui ran back into her cell, kicking the rifleman across his face before he could reach his weapon. The pike came in-between the bars of her cell, dodging the blade, she caught part of the haft and pulled. Sure enough the guard tried to hold onto the weapon and one of his hands came between the bars of the cell. Taking the closest manacle, she clasped it around his wrist before pulling sharply on his arm, dislocating his wrist and smacking his head against the iron bars.

The last guard tried a fancy hand-to-hand combat move, grabbing his wrist and stepping to her side; Karui threw him down to the ground and twisted his arm into a submission lock. A solid punch knocked the man out and ended the conflict as quickly as it had begun.

Finding the keys Karui opened Kiba and Akamaru's cells, she unlocked them and let Akamaru get Kiba up while she looked around for their possessions. A prisoner in the next cell looked her way when she saw what she was doing and said, "You won't find your things in the storage room. They have taken them to be analyzed, most likely in the Captain's quarters." The man's uniform was ragged, but showed his rank as a captain in the Kiri navy.

"And you are?" Karui asked, without looking at the man. Instead she found a weapon rack for the guards and selected a cutlass with a wide blade.

"Captain Basho, former commander of the Aso." The name triggered her memory from the letters she had read the night before. He was the Captain who refused to fire on the town and was relieved from command.

"We're taking you with us. Kiba how are things on your…" Karui was rather surprised to finally see the condition Kiba was in. He looked fine, for one who had been tortured, but he was limping like an arthritic old man.

"I'm fine Karui. They roughed me up a little but nothing is broken. We need to get out of here though." Sniffing the air, Kiba turned his head towards the door. "Someone is coming."

Nearly collapsing under his own weight, Kiba leaned on Akamaru for support before sitting down on the Ninken. Karui took point and readied her sword, waiting for whoever was going to come through the door. Looking down she looked at the passing shadows of people in the hall, one finally stopped in front of the door and somehow shift from being outside to being inside. The shadow seemed to glide along the floor like dark smoke, when it finally stopped in front of her the shadow enlarged and took human form. The facial features were partially hidden by a mask, but Karui recognized those eyes.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you where you stand Moji."

The Kiri Jounin's expression did not alter in the slightest. With a dead look in his eyes he stated flatly, "Because I'm the only one who can get you off this ship alive."


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm sure you all have plenty of questions, but this is neither the time nor place to answer them. Whether you want to leave or not, the truth is you are both too valuable to waste here in prison." Moji checked his wrist watch and paced the room. Putting a radio headset on, he blew into the microphone before saying, "Commence."

Distant sounds of explosions came from further inland. Kiba's nose placed the concentration of salt water at being on the town's southern docks, the ones not destroyed in the fire the night before.

"We're not leaving without our things." Karui said as she helped the Captain stay on his feet.

"Yes, your supplies. They had them locked in a closet, they were most easy to acquire." Stepping to his side, their bags appeared on the floor as though they were hidden in his shadow. "Take that as a gesture of my good faith. At the moment my team is busy creating our diversion. It is time for us to go."

Kneeling down, Moji placed his hands together in a seal Kiba was no familiar with. Karui helped the captain onto Akamaru's back before she grabbed the bags on the floor. As Moji sat a flame from a candle to the wall behind him began floating in the air until it came to a stop behind his head. The fire increased in size and light, casting a great shadow in front of him. The shadow did not seem to stop on the wooden wall, but rather looked to pass through the wall and join a greater shadow lying just beyond.

"Everyone go through now. I can't hold this jutsu for long." Moji snapped an impatient frustration.

As quickly as they could the followed his instruction, walking into the darkness was like sensory deprivation. Disoriented and lost, like scrambling in the dark reaching for a door you know is there but can't find the handle. No sooner then Kiba began to grow accustomed to the darkness did it end and the found himself of a hilltop above the city looking down on the docks and the devastation. The wind blew and the sunlight shone just beyond the tree branches which now kept the party in shadow. Like shadow and flame, Moji was the last to appear and he gulped air in exhaustion.

"What was that?" Karui asked.

"I have to keep some secrets." Moji sat back against the tree and shut his eyes. "Follow these trees west and you'll come to a cave system. I helped most of the town's people escape there in the chaos that went on last night. But I still don't know what the cause was." His breathing steadied, but it was obvious how fatigued he was. "I'll wait here for my team. You had best go ahead and talk to the villagers."

The caverns were easy enough to find. But before going down, Karui insisted on going through the luggage again. How it had been found in the abandoned blacksmith's house where they had left them was surprising, but he figured it was possible that a patrol found them by chance. Sure enough Karui was checking on her dress, though her spare sword was the second thing she took from the bag. Taking this opportunity for himself, Kiba found his Anbu supply pack that Moji had attached to his pack. Also wrapped in white cloth was the knife that had been made for him. On a whim, he put that in his pack become closing the duffel.

"Moji, he seems to be a shadow user, doesn't he?" Karui asked what Kiba had been thinking.

"Yeah, reminds me a lot of a friend of mine. Only I didn't think people could get grumpier than Shikamaru." Akamaru barked a laugh at that comment, which surprised the captain sitting on his back.

Going down to the caves was easy fro a natural tracker like Kiba, but anyone not trained or familiar with the area would have difficulty getting down to the entrance. A narrow canyon cut in dozens of different directions, forming a natural maze. After a final right turn it opened up to a clearing where two guards stood up with bamboo spears leveled at Kiba.

Raised voices from the cowering villagers had mixed reactions to their arrival. Several recognized Kiba and Karui from around the town the other day. Other recognized the uniform on the captain and suspected foul play, though some argued that the captain might be a prisoner. Eventually a man in his middle years with a bald head and a patch over his right eye quieted everyone down.

"Who helped you find us?"

"Moji busted us out of prison. The captain here was stripped of command because he opposed the attack of the town."

The man looked over their clothes with a cautious eye. "First we are attacked and imprisoned by the navy, then a team of Kirigakure Nin appeared to free us, and now we find that two people we thought were here on vacation are now shinobi as well. Things were confusing enough already."

"Do you have any idea why the navy would attack?" Karui asked, sizing up the man who had taken the role of speaker upon himself. It was not a mantle that set well with him; upon closer look he was a man who had lived a hard life. Scars on his arms told a tale of as many knife fights as wounds from fishing.

"Look, me and my crew helped fight the fires down on the docks for as long as we could. Once the marines came in with rifles we ran for the hills into these caves. We have no more idea about why this is happening than the next guy."

"There were those lights last night Goru." A man with a ragged beard and a scar running down his jaw looked up from his seat on the floor. He went back to rolling two misshapen stones in his left hand to pass his time.

"Yeah. Last night, around midnight, we went up to the hill to see what was happening, imagine sending the one-eyed man to be a lookout. But more impressive than the fires and explosions at the dock was what was happening on the east end of town. The old shrine started glowing this sickly sea-green color, then it turned black, blacker than the night between the stars, yet it still seemed to shine even then. After that there was this noise and an explosion. Next thing I remember. The shrine was gone and it was nearly dawn."

Kiba thought back to the shrine when they had visited it the day before. Nothing had felt out of the ordinary, though he did remember that the second floor was off limits to the public. If this Goru's description was at all accurate, then perhaps this was just a prelude. A mural on the wall of the Shrine suggested that there were a total of eighteen shrines across the island.

"Wait a second. Karui, did you have that tourist map of the island packed in your bag?"

"No, I pulled it out in case we needed to reference any landmarks." Producing the map, Kiba took it and looked at the shape of the island. It was no perfect circle as the mural on the wall of the shrine had shown. It looked like a rice cake with a bite taken out of one side. Kiba did find that a shrine similar to the one in Rakuen Port Town in a city halfway around the island. Furthermore, about twenty-five kilometers inland there were six marked points on the map, indicating tourist shrines at equal positioning around the island. It might just be coincidence, but he had to be sure.

"Does anyone know about the shrine in town or about these other shrines inland?"

An older man spoke up; he looked more a man of the earth than one of the sea. "Yes, I used to work some of the farms inland. Those shrines are said to be gods of good fortune and good crops. They protect us."

"Protect you from what, what is important about them? Are there more shrines further inland, when you get closer to the mountain?"

"Closer to the mountain? Nobody goes closer to the mountain and lives. Those shrines are all that protects us from the beasts that roam the center of the island."

The young girl from the Kirigakure team came into the room and announced, "Sorry to disturb your conversation but my master wishes to inform you that five squads of marines are coming up the hill. He advises that we pack up and move inland to meet up with at the farm where the rest of the town evacuated to."

The near two hundred evacuees did not panic, but picked up their few valuables and began to leave the cave. They did not want to run away from their town, but the consensus seemed to be that none of them wanted to die in a cave.

Helping the old man to his feet Kiba asked, "What beasts roam this island? What do you need protection from?"

Memories of youth must have come to his mind, as he seemed lost in a daze of nostalgia. Blinking back to this senses, the old man's look turned somber as he said. "Dire beasts. Monsters that grow in the shadow of that mountain grow many times their normal size. Snakes as wide as a man, birds as large as horses that don't fly, and worst of all… the Dire Lions."


	9. Chapter 9

Outside of the cave Kiba saw the other two Kirigakure genin directing the villagers to a northern path down the hill. Moji was kneeling down among the trees drawing blood seals on four scrolls surrounding him and two additional scrolls to either side of him. Finishing the final scroll he looked up and nodded to his genin to follow the villagers. Waving Kiba and Karui over to him he quickly bandaged his thumb and stretched his back.

"The marines are going to clear the hill in about five minutes. Personally I'd like to avoid any bloodshed but that might be a foregone conclusion. I don't like revealing these seals, but this is our best chance." Motioning to the seals on either side of him he said, "I understand we're in a bit of a predicament. We don't trust each other, but we're out of options at the moment. Please stand on those scrolls."

"What's the plan?" Karui stood on the scroll, but a slight scowl crossed her face.

"I've prepared these seals to use the shadows of this forest as a trap. The seals you are standing in will allow you to move freely. I'm asking you to go into danger, but if we don't delay the marines they will kill or recapture the villagers. Lure the marines in here and let them get trapped, then fall back and rejoin us at the farm."

"Only two seals?" Kiba looked at Akamaru, scratched his friend behind the ears and nodded in the direction the villagers had run off in. With a bark of 'be careful' Akamaru ran off through the trees.

"I'll maintain the technique from here for three hours, after that I'll catch up as well."

"And what about you?" Kiba asked as he stood on the seal.

"At that point we'll be approaching dusk. I'm more than capable of getting away at that point." Clapping his hands together, Moji checked the placement of all the seals and nodded. "The seals will be set into your sandals and will last for as long as I maintain the technique. Ready?"

Dark shadows leapt up from the scrolls and tightened around Kiba and Karui's legs. It was at that moment that Kiba was certain of it; there was a definite relationship between this technique and the Nara Clan's Shadow Bind jutsu. A wave of darkness spread out from Moji, blending with the shadow, making it only a shade darker than it naturally was. He sat concentrating on the jutsu with closed eyes, senses shutting out the world around him.

As the shadow bind around their legs lifted, Karui got off the scroll and knelt down to rub her calf muscles. Checking her sword in the sheath on her back, her face had that look that silently said she was ready for business.

The scroll slightly stuck to the bottom of his sandals as he lifted his feet, but it was firmly planted to the ground. All the seals which had been written on the scroll had vanished. Opening his nostrils, Kiba smelled the marines coming up the hill around a kilometer away. Upon pointing the way for Karui, she took off at full speed.

Kiba ran after her as best she could, but after a minute he realized that the beating he had suffered that morning had weakened him more than he realized. His core was as strong as ever, but his muscles and joints were limited to the point where he figured he was weaker than he was as a genin.

Karui looked back at him once or twice, but didn't wait for him to catch up. Limited as he was at the moment, he knew he'd have to change strategies. Reaching into his pouch he tied explosive tags on Kunai before a thought came to mind. From the sounds coming from below he figured he had three minutes, just long enough. Akamaru had taken off with the larger supply bag, but Kiba had gotten his personal pouch first. Finding the right scroll, he unfurled it and began looking for the seal he had in mind.

Completing the seal with blood, Kiba sat and began concentrating what little chakra he had. In normal circumstances he would be able to activate the seals in a few seconds, at his current strength it was all he could do to give the minimum required. Concern for Karui crossed his mind, but he could not let himself be distracted. She could handle herself, in his current state he'd be more of a problem for her than anything else. So he sat calmly, in spite of himself, and waited. 

* * *

"Lure them into the forest he says. Curse you Moji and your dark shadows. I'll handle this my way." Drawing her sword from its sheathe Karui dropped low behind some brush and looked at the approaching infantry. There were: spearmen, lightly armored swordsmen, a few riflemen, all were standard marines from the land of water. It was their leader who caught Karui's eye; a young woman, no older than Karui, with ink black hair, fair skin, and carrying four swords. Her insignia showed she held the rank of captain, but it was red with black trim. She was in the Water Daimyo's Special Forces.

"Now this will be interesting." Karui waited for another moment, but did not hear Kiba coming form behind. Doubtless he would have something planned up the hill, but she had no clue what that would be in his weakened state. "Weak as a puppy, at least he's not a distraction." Tightening her headband, Karui meditated on her sword for a moment, remembered her training and attacked.

Marching in formation, with their spear points high, made it easy to disarm the first two ranks of spearmen.

"Kumo-Ryu Omotegiri" The beheading technique was most certainly a lethal technique, but it served well enough as a way to sever a spear's point from its shaft. Before landing, she went into a spin and grabbed one of the spearmen, rolling as she hit the ground; she used the momentum to throw him up along the ground, tripping half a dozen swordsmen. Throwing her sword in the air, she roundhouse kicked one of the spearmen and grabbed the newly made staff he held. Spinning it in her hands, she guarded against five attacks from the swordsmen before the wood broke. By that point her sword had fallen back down for her to grab it, utilizing the momentum of the fall, and knowing the superiority of her steel, she sliced the swords in half.

By this point a ring of soldiers had formed around her, most of which gave her fearful distance. The Captain stepped into the ring and looked angry at the incompetence of her soldiers. Now with a better look, Karui saw her red eyes, very menacing. More important was the way she carried her swords. Each of a different make and style, she wore one on either hip, one horizontal across the small of her back, and the fourth between her shoulder blades.

Smiling, Karui returned her sword to her scabbard and enjoyed watching the soldiers respond to how she moved, backing off as she approached. The young Captain did not have a single sword drawn either, but Karui got the impression she was quick on the draw, meaning their fight could very easily be over with the first strike.

"Impressive work. You made my men looks like complete fools. I now see why the nations relied on shinobi as their militaries for so long."

"Obviously that didn't mean anything to your Water Daimyo when he built a separate navy. Neither that nor the peace we won in the Third Shinobi War."

"A peace between the villages. This is an internal matter, one you had the bad luck to get drawn up in. Unbuttoning her cuffs, she rolled up her sleeves and undid the top buttons of her uniform. Karui cracked her knuckles and her neck in response, talk was cheap.

"Get her Captain."  
"She can't beat Captain Izumi, not in a swordfight."

The first strike was indeed fast, faster than Karui had expected. Turning the first strike to her ribs away, Karui had barely enough time to hold off the second sword's low cut at her knee. Interestingly, Izumi had already returned the first sword to her scabbard and was pulling free the sword on her back. Adjusting her grip, Karui threw up her opponent's sword and blocked the incoming cut before lunging forward. Izumi spun as she returned the sword to her waist, Karui's sword hit against the metal scabbard on her back, spinning from the blow, Karui's sword met Izumi's as she other girl caught her sword from midair and returned it to her other sheathe.

Backing off for a moment, Karui gave Izumi thoughtful distance. "You're decent, but you're no match for me. The Military once held exhibition matches against Kirigakure Nin and I had a fight with Chojuro of the Seven Swordsmen. Beat him in four of seven rounds."

"I'm sure you know some tricks, but you can't win." Breathing deeply, Karui felt her entire body wake up at the energy flowing through her. None of the soldiers would notice, but her chakra filled her with an indescribable awareness and greater sense of her surroundings. Her hands sparked with energy, and the fight was already over.

Izumi swung with her sword, but it was much slower now than it had been. Karui's sword met hers with a lightning charged blade; the metal may as well have been grass the way it yielded to her weapon. Karui's sword cut along Izumi's lower right jaw line, barely breaking the skin, but the shock from the chakra knocked the girl out cold.

To the side, a soldier called out. "The captain is down. Riflemen, fire."

"Raiton: Hirameku." Closing her eyes, Karui let the remaining chakra in her sword burn off. The result was a blinding light that would stun anyone watching it. Jumping up just as the blinded soldiers fired their rifles, Karui made for the top of the hill. Just in time to see what Kiba had done. Running into the forest, she took cover in a tree behind Kiba and waited for the soldiers to come after her.

"This is going to be good." Karui smiled as she put her sword away.


	10. Chapter 10

"Genjutsu: Inugami" Placing his hand on the final seals, Kiba focused his remaining chakra into the technique. Knowing the soldiers would come from a certain direction; he had to make a few details up on the fly. The first part was the easiest, the audible element which caused the genjutsu to take effect in the first place. One howl sounded, was joined by another, and the pair became many.

To the average soldier it would appear that large dogs were digging their way from out of the ground, surrounding them on all sides, and driving them into the forest. When Kiba's mother, Tsume, had taught him this technique for the first time he had been scared to go near the kennel for days afterwards. The ghostly hounds wore the shredded robes of their human masters; at least that was what it looked like.

Spearmen threw their spears, gunmen fired at air, and as the panic built they stumbled over themselves to seek shelter among the trees; but there was no shelter to be found. Moji's shadows sprang into action. The men falling behind or on the sides were wrapped up in shadow and dragged along the ground, to the frightened soldier the image would compound with the fear of the Inugami illusion. Not fifty meters into the forest and all of them were suspended in shadow cocoons or bound to the earth by what looked like dark leaves.

"Impressive genjutsu Kiba. I don't remember reading that in your file." Karui came out from the trees and offered him a hand.

"You read my file? Should I be worried that you know some embarrassing detail or secret from my past?" Rolling up his scroll, he returned it to his pouch. There was enough room on the scroll for several more techniques.

"Of course not." Kiba took her hand and stood up. "I believe in second chances. Though if you screw up when I'm around, you can count on me hounding you about it."

"Ouch. And I thought I was going to be the one to make bad dog jokes."

"Not likely 'dog breath.'" Karui gave him an akanbe, which seemed childish but he couldn't help but chuckle, it suited her style.

"Come on; let's catch up to the others." This time as they ran through the forest, Karui was keeping Kiba's slower pace. It was a small gesture, but Kiba appreciated it.

Akamaru's trail was an easy one to find, though following a group of refugees was easy as well; the musty smell of the cave was still on their clothes. The group zigzagged in a north-east/north-west route making good progress and somehow keeping their trail small despite their size. Kiba figured this was due to the leadership of the Kiri genin; any small advantage would be appreciated in this situation.

Still, the diversion had not taken long, so after half an hour they finally caught up with them. Akamaru had an elderly woman on his back, who was complaining that she could walk and didn't want to ride a dog. The Ninken was none too fond of her either, so Kiba's first act was to arrange for two of the young children to ride instead of being carried by their mothers.

Passing through the grain fields, Kiba could not shake an impression about Shinsei Island and the mural he had seen in the shrine what felt like a week ago. There was something about the three concentric circles, each one with six figures. This island was strange, if only he could figure out the reason why it had been attacked.

Time eventually caught up with the party as they arrived at a small community that appeared to be a seasonal harvest town for workers of the rice paddies, though from the look of it only a few families lived her permanently, maintaining the fields until the monsoons brought with them the planting season.

The elderly and injured were taken to the town's shrine to see to their infirmities and Kiba felt the need to follow. Again it was a two story building with the top floor blocked off. But Kiba was not deterred this time. While the shrine priest was seeing to an elderly woman, Kiba snuck up to the top floor.

The room was stark, the walls bare, and ceiling very simple. The floor however, contained the most complicated sequence of seals he had ever laid his eyes upon. Interweaving seals that seemed to pulse with Chakra, some even floated from off the ground to reset themselves down on another part of the seal.

"And I thought ANBU had a hard requirement for seal expertise." Karui came up the stairs behind him, having talked to the priest and asked for permission first. She was breathing, as though ready to give a lecture, but the sight of the floor took her breath away.

Looking up Kiba realized that in focusing on the floor he had missed a statue, no taller than one meter, standing in the center of the room. It had all appearance of bronze, but the patina shifted colors and moved across the surface seemingly in reaction to the moving seals on the floor.

"Three rings, eighteen statues." It was clear what the statues were, though what they sealed was another question entirely. "What do the rings represent?" Karui led them downstairs to look at the map again. Finding the tourist map, Karui superimposed the models and a few things became clear.

"The island doesn't look like the mural." Karui pointed out the near perfect circular shape of the mural, and how it did not match up the large cove and bay on the island. "Like small bites out of a cookie."

"Wait; look at the spacing on those two." Taking the map from her, he rotated it until the points of the outermost circle matched up. Seemingly the cove and bay were spaced at two points where shrines would be, and the port town they had arrived in was in the perfect spot for a third.

"They're facades." Taking a step back, Karui flipped through another booklet of information about Shinsei Island she had picked up. "Look. Three concentric circles surrounding a mountain. A mountain nobody goes to. On the outermost layer you have all these tourist sites and port cities, port cities which trade mostly in tropical fruit and grains from the plantations in the middle track. Then you have the circle immediately surrounding the mountain…"

"Wild plains with beasts that grow twice their normal size. There is a reason nobody travels to the mountain, nobody goes back." The Priest walked up to the mural and reverently touched a circle on the middle circle, clearly signifying the shrine they stood in. "These shrines keep the wild animals from the mountain back from the cities. They do not come out this far. It is as simple as that."

The skeptic in Kiba doubted that. There were seals in the room upstairs he didn't understand, but the explanation didn't feel right. The statue had been facing out, towards the sea. You don't have your back turned to the thing you are trying to contain. As though on cue a distant roar sounded to the north, and after a few moments another came answering from the south. There was not any animal language he understood, but Kiba's instincts moved him to action regardless.

Finding Akamaru, Kiba collected the scroll that contained their supplies. Summoning the bag Kiba found what there had been no time to get before. The medicine bag was a basic kit his sister Hana had prepared for both Ninken and Human use. Setting aside a soldier pill, Kiba found two bottles he needed to restore his strength. Prepping the air shot syringe, he gave himself a dose of muscle relaxant followed by a chondroitin-based joint serum. Hopefully those would help restart his broken down muscles, which would then be reenergized by the soldier pill.

"Let's hope this works." Kiba had never liked the taste of soldier pills, and this time it was no different. Something about being the brother of a doctor had never helped him when it came time to take medicine. It did not take but a few moments for the effects to begin, the result was slow and subtle.

"How are you feeling?" Karui knelt next to Kiba and looked at the soldier pills. "I hear Konoha's pills taste terrible."

"They're not honey cakes, but they go down easy enough." Clenching his fists, Kiba felt his arm muscles bulge and as he got up he felt his joints were stronger than they were before. "Not at my best, but I'm ready to go."

Splitting up, Kiba ran north towards the edge of the dry paddies as Karui took guard on the southern road. Akamaru ran at his side and barked a, "It smells wrong tonight Kiba." Not a kilometer ahead laid a grassland, one that stretched as far as he could see, right up to the mountain. Oddly enough the mountain seemed smaller now than it had before, another trick of the eye?

Not focusing on where he was going, Kiba found himself running through the grass suddenly. Though a fast runner, it did not feel right that he covered a kilometer of ground without even noticing it. Slowing his pace to a walk, Kiba knelt down and smelled his surroundings. A breeze came in from the west, even savage beasts know not to attack from downwind, so he only casually checked that direction.

"Kiba, watch out!" Akamaru's bark of warning was too slow.

'Fast.' Kiba thought as he was knocked to the ground by a pair of claws, staring a set of fangs in his face.


	11. Chapter 11

Memories of his childhood pushed out the adrenaline of the moment. The jaws of a great Sabertooth cat dripped saliva on his face, but taking a step back from the situation he remembered the words of his mother.

"A time comes when every Shinobi is cornered, outmanned, outnumbered and outmatched. All others try to seek a stillness within, a calm that quiets all fears and doubts… rubbish. You are an Inuzuka, boy, never forget it. We are masters of our rage. There is only one power – fury, only one direction – forward, only one goal – protect the pack. You have a long way to go cub…"

In his rage he ignored all his weakness, grabbed the Lion's jaw and shoved upward. With a moment to roll to the side and right himself, he felt his anger burn through his muscles and his senses. The Lion quickly rebounded but Kiba weaved to the outside and rammed his shoulder into the side of the Lion as it passed. Spinning his feet, he followed up with a roundhouse kick that missed as the Lion had simply jumped up to avoid the hit.

'Not only fast, but amazing reflexes.' He twisted his torso and legs into place for a familiar technique. Jumping to intercept the Sabertooth with Tsuga, the world began spinning yet to his eyes his target at the center of his gaze always spun slower than everything else.

Reaching the top of the jump, the Lion fell down and clashed with Kiba. Though he couldn't place it, there was something different about the beast – an intelligence in its eye. Its muscles relaxed as it clashed with Kiba, seeming to absorb the impact of the Tsuga and turning the rotation into momentum instead of damage. It all seemed to remind Kiba of the way cats go limp whenever one tries to pick them up against their will.

'Timing is too good to be instinct; this is the result of training somehow. But that's preposterous.'

A growl and a roar drew his attention away from the cat in front of him and he saw them come out of the tall grass in a ring. More Sabertooth Lions, about eight in total, each large enough to carry a rider on its back and riders they did carry. Men and women with copper skin, wearing animal hides and adorned with painted marks on their arms. One symbol in particular was a recurring theme, two horizontal lines, one ending with a point up, the other with a point down. It seemed familiar somehow.

Out of the grass next to the Lion came another man who patted the beast along the ribs. He looked at Kiba in a way that made him uncomfortable. Some enemies would give dismissive looks filled with disdain thinking to demoralize their opponent, but those sorts of stares would only work on someone who was already feeling unconfident. It was the knowing way his eyes seemed to weigh Kiba, serious and calculating that showed he was a true hunter. A man who treated every challenge with the same amount of respect stood before him, a dark eyed hunter. One thing in particular caught Kiba's eye, his hair was braided on the left side of his head and the right side looked scarred, unable to even grow hair anymore. The other hunters had the hairstyle, but did not have the scars.

"Don't tell me you're having trouble with this little one Kino." The man said to the lion, and surprisingly the lion answered.

"The way he was walking looked like he was the weak one; he just shows you can't trust what you see." There was a deep and resonating sound to the Lioness' voice, beautiful and knowing. It reminded him of the tone Kuromaru had when he spoke.

Rubbing the scarred side of his head the man agreed, "That is so." Giving a hand sign to the other hunters, they all lowered their weapons and came down from their cats. Two of the women hunters surrounded Karui and tried to take her sword, smelling of curiosity more than anything else. Scar-head hissed at them and they stopped; a smart move as Karui had a hint of anger in her scent.

Fear in the air was thick, and somehow Kiba knew the man smelled it. The villagers, the young Kiri Nin, even some of the other hunters. Kiba relaxed his defensive posture as Akamaru came to his side and growled at Scar-head.

"Your hound says much with a simple growl." Giving a command in a native tongue the Hunters moved over to where the refugees were gathering. "I am A'rai, pathfinder of Clan Yozo, and you are a stranger to these islands… Inuzuka."

The Lioness laughed and clawed the dry grass at her feet. "He's surprised."

"Of course he is Kino. But he stands as a man, courage for one so young."

"How far will courage get him?" The lioness began to circle Kiba, sniffing him as she went. "The acrid smell of gunpowder, crisp salt from the sea mingled with his own sweat, that sweet smell of blood. Battle follows this boy and these people, and they are even now on the threshold of the island's inner circle."

Other lions, half hidden in the grass gave low roars of agreement to her words.

"Send them back." Some roared.

"May the oathbreakers fall into the sea." Others voiced.

"There is no shade, no roof for those not of the blood."

"Silence." A'rai's word was low, but commanding. "The purpose of the Pathfinder is to lead and guide others though lands known and blaze a trail through paths unknown. All you have to do is look in their eyes, remember that desperation well – there is no way back for these people." The hunters and lions lowered their heads and all let out a low groan of submission.

"You, Inuzuka – what is your name?"

"Kiba."

A'rai sniffed Kiba again and chuckled, "Very well then. O'Kiba you are now the Speaker for these people. You will be responsible for everything they do while they travel through our lands. We will take you to OugoVillage where you may rest and meet with our elders. And what is her name?" He gestured at Karui.

"I am-"

"I did not ask you!" He cut her off; from her smell she was very angry.

"Listen here you arrogant-" This time Kino, the Lioness roared at Karui.

"I mean you no disrespect, but O'Kiba is the Speaker. He must be the one to answer, it is our way." Her glare said much that was best left unsaid.

"She is Karui." Kiba felt the scene was strained enough already, without Karui's famous temper getting the best of her.

"I'Karui, you shall be the Eyes for these people. Watch them and care for them, this is your duty." He pulled close to Kiba and whispered, "I am bound by formality at this point. When we reach our village there will be a few more customs to observe, but for now I can offer you safe passage and my solemn oath that I will answer what questions I can when we arrive."

Not liking the situation, Kiba nodded and helped the refugees back up and got them moving again after A'rai. The grasslands stretched out for many miles in the foothills below the shadow of the mountain. As they got closer to the mountain, Kiba felt unsure as to how tall it was. Sometimes the peak even seemed to disappear into the sky and reappear shorter than before. None of the villagers had any idea how tall it was, as nobody had ever scaled the peak before.

Randomly during the trek back to the village, hunters would disappear from the sides of the group. From the smell in the air Kiba could tell they were off hunting, and when they showed up with freshly killed animals strapped to their back, his suspicions were confirmed. There was a high level of skill to the hunters; they moved quietly but more importantly there were subtle changed in their muscle patterns which indicated they possessed chakra enhanced abilities.

The grasslands held several other curiosities, which kept Kiba's mind occupied until dawn when they finally arrived at the village. Somehow he was not surprised to see it was comprised of simple grass and stick huts, yet one thing stood out among everything in the dawning sun. A small bronze statue sat in a special shrine in the center of town, its shape that of a standing man facing outward in direction of the sea.


	12. Chapter 12

Karui had found that learning to control her own impulsive behavior was a hard lesson, but a necessary one. Were she a few years younger she would have taken out her sword and threatened the lion riders for belittling her, but the situation was hard enough without any additional hostilities. Being told that she was responsible for the villagers was just the thing to impress the weight of the situation to her. Different cultures, different customs, it was never easy to play by someone else's rules, especially when you don't know them.

The "eyes of the people" they had called her. Though meant to keep an eye on the villagers to ensure they didn't do anything reckless, she found herself keeping watch on the lion riders around the group and riding through the tall grass nearby. She was responsible for their safety, and as far as she was concerned these new people were still a threat.

It was obvious what was on Kiba's mind. How they knew him as a member of the Inuzuka Clan. This island was too far away from the mainland where the founding clans of Konoha were from, and the Inuzuka were one of the first clans to join the Senju if her knowledge of shinobi history was correct. The similarities were too clear to be mistaken: lion riders, talking animals, and chakra enhanced speed. Though hunters of the plains they moved all too similar to Hunter-Nin she had encountered.

After an hour of traveling along the plains, it was clear they were approaching the village as the number of hunters and lions surrounding them increased. Some of the villagers were tired from the walk; having spent the previous night huddled in a cave for shelter they had not gotten sleep in some time. She remembered the attack which had knocked her unconscious the night before, it had thrown off her rhythm and she would need a proper night's sleep by the evening or her performance would be off.

"Ougo Village." A'rai announced aloud.

The village was up towards the start of the foothills of the mountain, which seemed to loom over the entire horizon. There was still something odd about that peak, a mystery she hoped would be solved soon as it was unsettling for her. Growing up in the mountains, it was not a feeling she liked having.

A large ring of stakes surrounded the village, which looked like a miniature forest from all the treetops she saw rising above the defensive wall. The grass around the village was cleared for two-hundred meters or so. Slightly darker soil patches showed signs of old wildfires, which made sense – with a village like this a fire would be a large threat. Hate it as she did, the lioness was right to fear the smell of gunpowder on Kiba and the army that was threatening the island.

The gate was adorned with feathers and unidentifiable bones, and the wooden stakes were more solid and deeper in the ground than she had first estimated. Between the patrols and the guards, the village seemed fairly well guarded by traditional standards.

Finally in sight, the trees proved to be a great curiosity. Each tree was in fact part of a house. The uppermost branches grew free, the middle and lower branches were shaped and woven together to form roofs and walls. Each house had a distinct shape and style, gained from the natural growth of its tree, but they seemed surprisingly stable and very well crafted.

All around villagers looked up for a moment before returning to their daily work. As many men as women were doing menial tasks such as carrying large gourds full of water from any of the town's wells. The sense of gender equality made sense, as the ratio of men and women hunters was approximately equal.

Small children were the ones most fascinated by the strangers in their village. A group of small girls, each with a lion cub running near them came as close as they dared and chatted amongst themselves. Most of them had dark brown hair and a light caramel skin color a few shades darker than the lions. They wore durable-looking linen clothes of earth-tone, red and blue colors. Each villager of age had similar tattoos on their shoulders, a square made up of one red triangle and one white triangle, a clan symbol most likely.

Reaching the back of the village, the procession was called to a halt and Kiba was brought out from the rest of the group to go into a tree house made from a hollowed out baobab tree. The scale was impressive; the house was four stories high with windows showing activity from inside.

Thankfully Kiba was not by himself for long, he came out of the tree with a large man whose body was covered in scars. He carried a staff twice as high as he was, the wood looked treated for strength, it was clearly not normal. An old Sabertooth lion walked beside him, its mane had more silver hair than dark gold.

"Take them to the unused drying hut and the hospital, there should be enough room. Bring the sword woman the three Kiri Nins here."

The inside of the house was simply adorned; ladders connected one floor to the next. Taking a seat on an embroidered rug next to Kiba, she wondered when the "formalities" would be done and she could give a piece of her mind to these strangers.

"I apologize for the way our hunters reacted to you. We don't necessarily have any issues with those who live by the coast, we struggle more against other clans. However your Clan is known to us A'Kiba of Inuzuka. You say to us that the island is under attack, but you are a stranger to Shinsei Island and the plains beneath the holy mountain."

"Karui, this is A'toki. He's chief of Clan Yozo, the lion sitting to his left is Moto, his counselor." Kiba was holding back his frustration, but self-restraint was never her strongpoint.

"Really, I thought the Sabertooths were the ones running the place." Karui had been waiting to lay a zinger into someone for a while now, shame it was at people who could potentially be allies instead of the people who had attacked the island.

Moto made a strange noise which sounded like a laugh, "Oh I like her."

A younger man sitting across the room crossed his arms and coughed. A slender lioness sat by his feet with calculating eyes. When he rose Karui could not help but notice different markings on his shoulders than the ones everyone else on town had – a red triangle pointed downward seeming to stab into a yellow oval.

"You Yozo and your rituals." The man spoke up with arrogance and disdain. "You let in outsiders upon word of war, and trust them at their word. You give them a mouth and eyes but no ears to hear they are not welcome in our lands. You empty your sacred lodgings to house them like they were honored guests." Karui found it hard to believe that a 'drying hut' would be considered sacred, but in many cultures places of healing were considered sacred or supernatural.

"For all these things you are a fool, but for letting an Inuzuka into your village-" The man spat at Kiba's feet and behind him his lioness growled at Akamaru.

"Do you have a problem with me?" Kiba stared at the taller man, this was clearly a challenge.

"You have no right to issue a challenge while under the hospitality of my roof O'de." A'toki spoke against the younger man, but this O'de was unshaken.

"Against one of your kinsmen, that is right. But this is no kinsman now is he?" Circling Kiba like a predator, he smelled the air and swaggered like this was his house. "Let me tell you something of our ways. We believe in a sort of karma, that no matter where we go in life, everything we are follows us. This is why when we travel anywhere we always bring something with us to compensate our hosts for whatever trouble we may bring under their roofs. We can all smell the trouble on you, so now you will show me what you have brought."

He walked out the door and into the open center of the village. The lion following him picked up a bundle of spears wrapped in skins in her jaws and handed it to him as she took her place by his side. Gesturing with his arms, he was calling Kiba out.

"Not much of a choice then." Kiba took off his flak jacket and knelt down next to his bag. Finding his leather jacket packed away he put it on and seemed to finally feel complete. "Watch our stuff Karui, this shouldn't take too long." Stopping for a moment, he went back to his bag and picked out the long knife he had received from the weapon smith, placing it in his belt he spoke over his shoulder to A'toki. "I get the feeling this is mostly about me being an Inuzuka. When I finish this, we're each going to have a story to tell the other."


	13. Chapter 13

The well trod dirt of the village kicked up hardly any dust as a strong wind rushed in from the east; but the sounds it produced were incredible. The high pitched rustle of grass, hissing like a snake; the fluttering of leaves in the trees, like a moth flying too close by an ear; wind chimes knocked together, seeming to call everyone to attention to the fight about to commence.

"You have any reason for calling me out for a fight? Or is this simply a matter of you not liking the way I smell?" Kiba faced off against the much taller man. This O'De was a man in his prime, but still youthful from the look of his scars. Akamaru was acting oddly stoic, flaring his nose and perking his ears before letting them fall to the sides of his head again.

"You're an Inuzuka, I don't need another reason." Stretching his forearms and triceps, O'De spun a spear in his hands before leveling it at Kiba. The lioness to his side narrowed her eyes but kept her mouth closed; the half-meter long fangs sticking from her mouth were more than menacing enough.

Karui smelled a little worried, odd. He couldn't really blame her though; this whole situation was odd and left a lot of room for doubt. Best to end this fight quickly and hopefully without bloodshed.

Cracking his knuckles, he took notice of the villagers gathering around to see the spectacle. Across the dirt lot O'De held a spear in either hand with two more strapped to his back. They were short staffed with broad blades, meant for stabbing and short range throws. There was a scent to them that was troubling.

"It's not the smell of blood Kiba, look at the wood by the blade." Akamaru growled to his side. The dog was right, the wood which held the blade in place was darkened, as though by fire.

"I thought there was something odd about these people." Circling around to O'De's left while Akamaru remained still; he got a better look at the spears while seeing how his opponents would react. Relaxed muscles and watchful eyes betrayed nothing of their fighting style. The first move would be fast and unpredictable. The way O'De gripped the lion with his knees showed he was ready for the lion to jump at any moment. Though likely a capable fighter in his own right, he seemed the type that primarily fought in a mounted combat style.

Firmly securing his new knife to an interior pocket in his jacket Kiba cracked his knuckles and ran his claws along the palms of his hand. As often as he used weapons and ninja tools, there was no satisfaction quite like using his own natural weapons in a fight.

Akamaru barked a battle charge as Kiba attacked, the lion jumped but Kiba anticipated the angle of attack and spun of its claws reach up to where O'De was sitting. His claws met metal spear in a flash of sparks, though not as strong as metal they were more than a match for the hardened wood of the shaft, which exploded in splinters where his free hand struck.

Spinning on top of his lioness, O'De unraveled a band of cloth on his left arm, revealing sealing tattoos. Akamaru attacked the lion head on, trading hits with laws and paws. The Ninken was smaller than the saber-tooth, but much more nimble. With a second spear the wild man cut his thumb and ran blood along his tattoos, which summoned a hardened leather shield to his right hand. Beating his spear against his shield he smirked at Kiba, "Come on cub."

The taunt was obvious, but Kiba knew better, there was something else to this man's combat style Kiba was missing. The truth was that this was a game they were both playing; you had to save your surprises for after your opponent had already shown their hand.

"Fine, we'll do it this way then." Crouching low, Kiba felt himself tense in a familiar fashion; in a sort of torque that twisted his muscles and tendons down to his bones. "Gatsūga!" The charge spun his vision, yet his focus was not lost. He knew to not aim for center mass. The shield would block his view and a spear would meet his charge. Instead he let the spinning momentum of his attack bound him low before coming in high on O'De's right. The man skillfully blocked with his shield, redirecting Kiba up into the air at the loss of his summoned protection. The blow had almost knocked him off of his seat, but he stayed on the lion.

As Gatsūga's spin faded Kiba realized he was at a disadvantage in the air. O'De raised his right arm as a sight and cocked back his spear arm for a throw. The heat of the sun was on his back, yet it was Kiba's front which felt warm.

'It's his metal spearhead, glowing hot from Fire chakra. Clever.' Crossing his hands in front of him, Kiba twisted again and hoped he would make it in time. "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" The shadow clone appeared allowing Kiba to kick himself off of it just as the spear shot through the side of his jacket. 'Even with the dodge he not only kept track of the real me, but almost hit my vitals. This guy is good.'

Landing hard, the shadow clone helped him to his feet before joining Akamaru in surrounding the pair in a delta formation.

"Always a fan of the tricks." O'De swung a leg off of the lioness, but rested his right hand on its shoulder. "That's the way of you dogs, hiding in your forests, running with other packs."

Taking off his jacket, Kiba looked at the hole and frowned. "I'm pretty sure there's some back-story here that I'm missing. I get enough of it to know that you hold a grudge against the Inuzuka, but truth is the fact that I know nothing about you just tells me that you weren't important enough to remember." Some members of the crowd gasped, to his side Kiba heard Karui laugh out loud. O'De narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth. Holding his last two spears in either hand, he channeled his chakra into them.

The larger man was quick on his feet, with faster hands than Kiba anticipated. While dodging the spears Kiba saw the lioness had tackled Akamaru and pinned him to the ground, the shadow clone rushed in and checked the lioness in the small ribs, with an audible crack the saber-tooth backed off Akamaru, allowing the Ninken to hit her full on with a Gatsūga.

Those spears were Kiba's main concern. For a moment he considered using his new knife, but likely the heated metal would damage his new weapon – which seemed more of a souvenir than an actual weapon. O'De relied primarily on rapid thrusts, seemingly not wanting to have a wide arc slash parried or redirected. The hafts of the spears rested against his massive forearms; not allowing much opportunity for Kiba to win the game with and moves against the upper body.

"Shikyaku no jutsu." Dropping to his hands and feet to avoid another stab, Kiba let his chakra run through his cerebral cortex, rewriting his instincts and reactions to a feral state. Such thoughts were in the back of his mind, as his entire body began to react seemingly outside of his control.

O'De's footwork was impressive, but he was unable to keep up with Kiba's speed as he circled around him and cut into one of his hamstrings with his claws. Spears were thrown and dodged, but in a spin the larger man was able to drop an elbow down on Kiba's head. As the blow made contact, Kiba spun as he stood up, taking only a glancing hit.

The shadow clone disappeared with a puff of smoke as the fight ended. Rising to his feet, the strange hunter nodded to Kiba in a show of respect. "Perhaps not a test of strength, but I cannot doubt your speed or your skill. You have proven yourself to me and that should be enough for my clan." Picking up his spears he bowed to the Elder before mounting his lion. "Until next we meet O'Kiba." With little other ceremony the man rode out of the village to the vast plains of the island.

Not a little bit of confusion was left with Kiba, "What was that all about?" Kiba practically yelled at the Elder as he went back inside the man's tree house.

"There are four tribes which inhabit the center of the island. We were all once one tribe, but the various families all went their separate ways for one reason or another." The old man stopped himself before taking a seat. "No I guess I should start at the beginning. Our Clan once lived on the mainland, the kingdom known as the Land of Fire. In the years after the Rikudou Sennin several Shinobi Clans emerged with affinity for animals. Some beasts had such great affinity for chakra that they secluded themselves from the world and had to be summoned back into it… but that is another story.

"Clan Yozo, our Clan, is the oldest. The others split off from us. In the distant past we feuded with many of the other Clans from the forests, but the ones who eventually defeated us were none other than the Inuzuka, your ancestors. So we took our refuge from the Land of Fire and came here."

"I'll buy that part of your story, but with all of these statues I think you owe me another one." Kiba finally decided to take a seat, Akamaru taking one side, Karui his other.

"Very well then," The Elder lit a pipe that smelled of tobacco similar to what the third Hokage had smoked. "O'Kiba, E'Karui, I shall tell you the story as it was passed down to me by my ancestors. It is a tale of war, of magic beyond human understanding, and of a man who cannot die."


End file.
